Bruno Bischofberger, the influential Swiss gallerist who founded his eponymous gallery in 1963, has died at age 86. He was best known for his decades-long relationship with Andy Warhol, securing right of first refusal on all of Warhol's new works after purchasing eleven early paintings in 1968. Bischofberger also represented Jean-Michel Basquiat internationally from 1982 and gave solo exhibitions to a generation of major artists including Julian Schnabel, David Salle, George Condo, and Francesco Clemente. In 2013, his gallery relocated to a former factory in Männedorf, Switzerland, redeveloped by his daughter and son-in-law.
Bischofberger's death marks the loss of a pivotal figure who helped shape the transatlantic art market of the late 20th century. His close ties with Warhol and early support for Basquiat positioned him at the center of the Neo-Expressionist and Pop art movements. Beyond his gallery work, his personal collection of folk art and prehistoric stone works reflected a broad curatorial vision. His legacy endures through the artists he championed and the institutional model he built, which blended commercial dealing with deep patronage.